Means for operating washing-machines.



w. H. Voss.

MEANS FOR OPERATING WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 7, 1908.

1,008,502. l K Pau mwa 11011.14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. H. VOSS. MEANS FOR OPERATING WASHING MACHINES. APPLIGATIOH FILED1120.1. 190s.

` 1,008,502. .Paten 16d Now-14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET 24 J falo/n?" WILLIAM H. VOSS, OF DAVENPORT, IO'Vl A.

MEANS FOR OPERATING WASHING-MACH] NES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14., 1911.

Application filed December 7, 1908. Serial No. 466,190.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Voss, a citizen. of the United States,and a resident of Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for OperatngWashing-Machines, of which t-he following is a clear, full, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to means for operating washing machines, andparticularly of the type or class of washing machines having areciprocal agitator.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a Washing machine ofthe class above designated, that can be operated either by hand or by amotor.

A further object of my inventio-n is to utilize the same gearin forspeeding up the fly-wheel of the mac iine when it is operated by hand,to reduce the speed and increase the power when the said machine isdriven by a small motor.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple and effect-ivesupport for the said motor by means of which a solid foundationfor themotor can alwa s be assured regardless of the unevenness ofythesupporting surface, and which can be folded up against the body of themachine in a compact and convenient manner for shipping.

This I accomplish by the means hereinafter fully described and asparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my lnvention. Fig. 2is a plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken just belowthe bottom of the tub of the machine. Fig. 4 is a erspective view of thegearing, ily-Wheel andJ supporting frame therefor, removed from themachine. Fig. 5

is a detail detached view in side elevation of the stand on which themotor is preferably mounted.

My invention, as shown in the drawings, is ap lied to a washing machinecomprising a bodly or tub, A, which is supported by legs a, a; andmeans, B, for converting and transmitting the reciprocal movement ofrack, C, to a rota reciprocal agitator (not shown) located Within thetub. It is immaterial how the means, B, are constructed or whatmechanism the same may consist of, in so far as the objects sought to beaccomplished by my improvements are concerned.

f mounted thereon.

l prefer, however, to use for this purpose the means that are shown inLetters Patent of the United States', granted to me December l, 1908,and nt rnbered 905,253, and are shown to be suppoted on the lid orcover` closing the top of `she tub, substantially as shown.

The rack, C, e: tends horizontally and transversely across 1he lid to apoint beyond the side of the tul, and has its outer end removablypivoted between lugs projecting from the socket d, vhich is shown asbeing made integral with an upper end of a vertically disposed levl .r,D. This lever is fulcrumed between he bifurcations of a bracket, c,secured to and projecting from the side of the tub, substantially asshown, and it has a handle b, inserted in the socket in its upper end,a1 4d one end of a pitman, E, pivotally connect ad to its lower end.This ptman extends to a ud under the tub of the machine, and itsopposite end is pivotally connected to a coml aratively large gear, F,which latter engage; a pinion e. The shaft F', on one end `of v hichgear, F, is secured is j ournaled in suits ble bearings in one end ofbearing G, that s supported on and secured to a cross-ba?, g, formingpart of a rectangular frame connecting the legs a of the tub of the macline. This bearing, G, has parallel members extendin from either endthereof, Whose c pposite en s are curved upward in. a suitable mannerand arel made integral with a suit: .ble bearing for a shaft It, whichlatter has its inner end provided with a pinion e, and its opposite endextends beyond the vertical )lane of the side of the said tub where theily-Wheel, H, is securely Fly-wheel, H, is provided With acircumferential groove, j, and is driven through tl .e medium of Va beltJ, that connects it witl'. a small concave pulley In on the end of thearmature-shaft of an electric motor K.

The baseof motoi, K, is bolted or .otherwise removably sect red to theplatform of a stand, L, which eX :ends in the same plane as theily-Wheel, H ind has its end nearest the machine preferably bifurcatedand hinged to the adjaci nt end of the horizon- 4tal member of a b1acket, M, secured and projecting from the adjacent leg of the tub of themachine. Th1 op osite end of stand', L, is supported, pre fera ly', bymeans of a single leg, m, thus a :suring a solid foundaa cylindricallower tion for the motor K at all timesfa condition which, if it werenotl for the hinge might not prevail under all circumstances.

The operation of my invention is substantially as follows-When it isdesired to operate the machine by the motor K, the high speed of thesmall armature pulley 7c is imparted through belt, J, to the much largerfly-wheel, H, and reduced thereby, and this reduced motion istransmitted through the medium of the [ily-,wheel shaft, h, and pinion eon 'the opposite end thereof, to the large gear F by which said motionis further reduced. This reduction of the motion increases the effectivepower of the motor and by means of itman E, the lever D is rocked backand forthv and rack C reciprocated, and the agitator within the machineis thus actuatefl'. When it is desired to operate the machine b `rhand,the belt J, connecting the motoren fly-wheel can be easily disconnectedand removed, simply by lifting the stand, L, so as to slacken the belt.The operator then grasps the handle ZJ of the lever and draws it backand forth to actuate the agitator through the medium of the rack, C, andat the same ltime revolves gear F, through the medium of the paman E.The engagement of the'latter with pinion e, imparts" ,a very high speedto the shaft h and iiy-whl H, and the momentum of the hlghlyincreased'motion of the latter, by virtue'of the energy due to itsacquired inertia, greatly assists the operator in working the man@ steadof making the leg that supports the outer end ofthe vplatform pf thestand L of one piece, as shown in Fig. 1, I prefer to maire it as shownin detail in Fig. 5. In this figure ofthe drawings it is shown toconsist of a tubular'up er portion n secured tothe underside ofp theplatform and portion N the upper end is screw-threaded and adapted toscrew into the upper portion 'n and maintained at' any ncsitin withinthe range" of -itsrelative' movement by a 4setscrew O. This preferredform is not d elsigned to afford the stand a better foundation, but'forthe purpose of giving the platform such increased movement on the axisof 'its hinge that Vit can take up the slack` of the belt should therebe any.

""What'I claim'as new is In mechanism for actuating a washing machine,l.the combination with a sup ort, and a (platform below the same, of a`ever fulcrumed to the side of said support, a iiywheel, meansconnecting said lever and flyincluding speed increasing gearing, and anintegral supportingframe secured to platform having parallel bearings inwhich he'shaitsf ef Said gearing and' yrhsel er@ journals-sil '2, .Inmechanism'for actuating a washing of' which latter machine, thecombination-with a support, and a platform below the same, of a leverfulcrumed to the side of said support, a flywheel, means connecting saidlever and flywheel including speed increasing gearing, and an integralsupporting-fran'ie secured to said platform having a bearing fo-r agear-shaft, and a parallel bearing in a higher plane for the shaft onwhich the iiywheel is mounted.

3. In mechanism for actuating a washing machine, the combination with asupport and a platform below the same, a lever fulcrumed to the side ofsaid support, a flywheel, means connecting said lever and flywheelincluding speed increasing gearing, and an integral supporting-framesecured to said platform consist-ing of two parallel bearings one ofwhich is in a higher plane than the other and which has parallel membersconnecting the ends of said bearings.

4C. Means for Operating washing machines comprising a suitable support,and a platform below the same, a vertically disposed lever fulcrumed tothe said support, a driven shaft mechanism connecting said lever to thedriven shaft, a fly-wheel journaled on said platform, means connectingsaid lever and ily-wheel including a pitman, a large gear and a pinionon the adjacent end of the fly-wheel shaft, and a suitable motor forrevolving said fly-wheel` 5. The combination, in a washin machine with asupport and a platform elow the same, a driven shaft, mechanism-foroperating the driven shaft and a fly-wheel actuated by said mechanismand journaled on said platform, of a suitable motor, and stand forsupporting said motor secured to a portion of said support.

6. Ihe combination, in a washing machine, with a support and a platformbelow the same, a driven shaft, mechanism for operating the drivenshaft, and 'a Hy-wheel actuated by said mechanism and journaled on saidplatform, of a suitable motor, and

,stand for supporting said motor consisting of a platform one end of.which has a hinge connection with a portion of said support, ang has aleg of its own supporting its outer en 7 The combination, in a washing'machine, with a support and a platform below the same, a driven shaft,mechanism fr op,- erating the driven shaft, and a fly-wheel actuated bysaid mechanism and journaled on said platform, of a suitable motor, anda stand for supporting said motor consisting of a bracket secured to andprojecting from a portion of the support, and a platform hinged to theouter e ge of said bracket, and having a leg de'ending from andsupporting its outer en 8. The combination, in a washing machine, with asupport and a platformbelow actuated by said the same, a driven shaft,mechanism for1 operating the driven shaft, and a fly-wheel mechanism andjournaled on said platform, of a suitable motor, and a stand forsupporting said motor consisting of a bracketsecured to and projectingfrom a `portion of the support, and a platform hinged to the outer edgeof said bracket, and having a `longitudinally adjustable leg dependingfrom and sup orting its outer end. f

9. The combination, in a washing machine, with a support and a platformbelow the same, a driven shaft, mechanism for operating the driven shaftand a fly-wheel actuated by said mechanism and journaled-on saidplatform, of a suitable motor, and stand for supporting said motorconsisting of a platform one end of which has hinged connection with aportion of said support, and has a longitudinally adjustable leg of itsown supporting its outer end.

` 10. The combination, in a washing machine, with a support and aplatform below the same, a driven shaft, mechanism for operating thedriven shaft and a fly-wheel actuated by said mechanism and journaled onsaid platform, of a suitable motor, and stand for supporting said motorconsisting of a platform one end of which has a hinged connection with aportion of said support,

and has a leg of its own sul porting its outer j end which tubular upperportion and a lower portion having its upper end threal led and adaptedto be screwed into the same, and a set-nut for clamping the lower pcrtion in its adjusted position.

11. Means for operatingy chines comprising a suitabl( support, and aplatform below the same, a lever, a driven shaft, means connecting saidlever to the driven shaft, a fly-wheel a :tuated by said lever andjournaled on sai( platform, and a suitable detachable driving mechanismfor revolving said fly-wheel.

12. Means for operating washing machines comprising a suitable support,and a platform below the same, a` lever, a driven shaft, meansconnecting said lever to the driven shaft, a fly-wheel a( tuated by saidlever and journaled on said platform, and a suitable detachable drivi ugmechanism for revolving said fly-wheel In testimony whereof I ha vehereunto set my hand and seal this 1st da f of December, A. D., 1908.

WILLIAM H. V( FSS.` [1.. 5.] itnesses:

WILLAM E. PULs, ARTHUR CLIFFORD.

. Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commlss loner of Patents,

, Washington, D. C.

consists of an in' eriorly threaded washing ma-

